Re: “Mayor must explain City’s stand on bussing,” Sept. 17.
I feel I must dispel the misinformation presented in the Sept. 17 letter regarding private bus service versus public transit. Ironically, a few phone calls to the City and the Province could have prevented most of the author’s misunderstandings.
Transportation services generally refer to charter operators who provide point-to-point commuter services such as First Canada’s service between Airdrie and downtown Calgary. They operate on motor coach style buses, which are not easily accessible to anyone with mobility devices. The buses operate a one-way service in the morning with a return service in the evening. Thus, commuters from Calgary to Airdrie cannot access this service. (Consider that 2,600 vehicles leave Airdrie and 2,300 come to Airdrie for employment each workday during the peak morning travel period.) These buses do not connect into Calgary Transit and are limited to downtown commuters.
Residents of Airdrie began asking for a connected transit service over the last decade. They need a connection to Calgary Transit because they work throughout Calgary, not just downtown. Students had only one option to get to post-secondary school and that was by car. Though the City of Airdrie offers special-needs transit to Calgary for medical appointments, the program quickly became over-subscribed and many people found they could not access it for their medical needs. Seniors are unable to visit loved ones in the hospital.
Not being regionally connected hurt businesses during the economic boom. During the extreme labour shortage, businesses were using taxis to bring workers in from Calgary. The lack of connectivity to the region was not financially sustainable for residents and businesses, socially sustainable for community quality of life, or environmentally sustainable - the triple bottom line measurement for community sustainability. Present economic forecasts are predicting a return to economic strength and labour shortages in one-and-a-half to two years. It would be highly irresponsible of community leaders not to plan for the future including this economic change and labour shortage. We must continue to support economic development by providing resources for Airdrie citizens and businesses.
The launch of the new regional transit service, Inter-City Express (ICE), was done in consultation with the citizens of Airdrie and private transportation providers. First Canada had an opportunity to appeal the launch of the ICE service under FITFIR (first in time first in right) provincial regulations. They chose not to as they agreed that their private transportation and Airdrie’s public transit were two separate services that would provide great choice and opportunity to the citizens.
When First Canada, for its own business reasons, decided to end its private downtown commuter service, Traxx saw an opportunity to launch its own private downtown commuter service. They did this fully acknowledging that a regional public transit service would be in operation. The City of Airdrie immediately gave Traxx permission to use the transit bus stops. The City cannot, however, provide an operations certificate, as that comes under provincial jurisdiction. This is the same certification that the ICE service had to obtain from the Province. First Canada ultimately decided to maintain its commuter service and, under FITFIR, has appealed the application by Traxx. The City of Airdrie does not have status in this process and cannot participate in any way.
The direct operations cost to the City of Airdrie is $270,000 before pass sales are deducted. The capital cost for the buses was borne by a federal grant program and other capital costs will be funded 70 per cent by the GreenTrip provincial grant program ($800 million for our region). Thus, the ICE service will have a negligible effect on the operations budget and little contribution to any tax increase in 2011. The majority of any tax increase, projected at five per cent or less, is a result of the ambulance transition to Alberta Health Services and the loss of revenue for paramedic treatment and transfer.
If any reader has a questions, please feel free to call at 403-948-8820.
Airdrie Mayor Linda Bruce
